To think if you're a teacher, you challenge any conspiracy theory nonsense in class?

[Datgal]

I was wondering this recently. In aibu for traffic (debated chat).

However, I know a child who just copies what parent says about stuff. COVID doesn't exist, suncream is dangerous, and the latest one, Biden is a robot 🤣. Parents are flat earthers etc.

Anyway, in all seriousness I suppose this is how lunatics start off and you can't really blame them if they're being brought up with these views... I'd love to know that if you as a rational thinking teacher heard these, do you say anything? Or do you leave well alone...

Shutting down discussion of real things breeds conspiracy theories and mistrust

All of the things I've posted are absolutely true and easily verifiable within two seconds of a simple Google search. I deliberately included ludicrous sounding ones. Yet its met with suspicion and a begrudging 'a grain of truth'. What would a clued up student make of that?

Asking why do you think that? is better, you learn something everytime. Whether that's something you didn't know, or more importantly what a student is thinking, where they are getting their information from etc.

I did once get told that covid jabs would make you magnetic and the kid had this gem from TikTok (totally trustworthy news source according to a year 9). I tried in vain to stick metal things to my arm - even she laughed and we had a useful chat about critical thinking and realism as a class.

Miss! Miss! They put dead babies in the vitamin pills!

No they don't! that's a ridiculous conspiracy theory!

That will be the exchange. I've been called a conspiracy theorist for knowing about the above and many other entirely true things. Why? Where is that coming from? It's particularly annoying when discussing current atrocities not widely shown in our news. Imagine being a young person and dealing with these attitudes

Also it fits the actual definition of conspiracy.

As if it’s enough to just do a ‘simple Google search’.

It quite literally is often a case of simply googling it. And people won't.

The problem most have is, do they trust their teacher, the news, a tic toc with lots of 'followers', youtubers, their mates friends and family, Joe bloggs down the pub, random articles they find online 😉.

Lots of adults struggle and believe anything, it's easy for some 'influencers' to influence and its easy to persuade some people allsorts is true, if you add a few grains of truth... then expand with nonsense. Happens all the time. Fear and mistrust grows.

https://www.breastcancer.org/risk/risk-factors/exposure-to-chemicals-in-sunscreen

Some sensible ideas for people who want to decrease reliance on sunblock.

So cloud seeding. Yes it happens, but it definitely wasn't responsible for the recent Dubai floods.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/17/cloud-seeding-dubai-floods

However, it seems the 1952 disaster in Devon was

https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/aug/30/sillyseason.physicalsciences

So the conspiracy theory about weather modification seems to be that it's not a brilliant and harmless idea.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2NvR0jxKdKx559K9XWRdLlG/could-climate-modification-save-the-planet

I used to teach RE.

One year 7 assessment I marked was full of such hatred and vitriol from a (white, British) child against Muslims - post 9/11 but this kid wasn't even born when it happened, and so far from the topics we'd covered that it sparked a huge safeguarding and Respect investigation. This was definitely an opinion he'd picked up at home and was a huge concern.

We did do a huge series of lessons about conspiracies after that, the curriculum around school pshe was updated as a direct result.

Any teacher worth their salt can at least challenge a conspiracy theory, challenge the student to back up their claims, and challenge them to research properly rather than rely on heresay, online trolls and other bs sources.

I agree. It's being used as a tool by ne'er do wells ( sorry, toddler-tired, can't think of a better word right now) a little sprinkle of truth and a can't you see they're lying to you...

https://www.cancer.org.au/iheard/are-chemical-sunscreens-safe-to-use

Well, it's all about weighing up the risks. That link from the Aussie cancer council seems to suggest it doesn't cause harm.

But to simply just come out with 'sun cream gives you cancer ' is rubbish. Some possibly can. But it's scaremongering rubbish and probably saves more lives than it ruins.

Also... just the sheer hypocrisy of believing certain stuff...
So sun cream gives you cancer yeah, but you're happy chugging on a prime drink? Go and look up about that and see how you like those apples?... they won't have it.
It's just stuff they're regurgitating as they're hearing it from adults/online wherever.
But I suppose that's where ideas about stuff and beliefs stem from isn't it?
I mean grown adults believe shite they read in the daily fail don't they? 'don't let the foreigners in, they're taking all our jobs and houses' 😱...so what hope have our kids got?!
And if anyone thinks biden is a robot, I'm sorry. It's friggin bonkers 🤣 and you need help

Yes 100%. And it's only getting worse with deep fake stuff.
I don't know what the answer is.
I was talking to my partner about it.

When the government were playing these culture wars and getting us to hate anyone on benefits (as that's where everyone's tax is going) etc etc, you can see why people believe all the lies.
But as I said to him, as long as there's more rational normal thinking people in this world who aren't full of hatred, then we should be ok.

But I don't know. I don't hold out much hope for the future (likes of trump, farage getting foot holds).

So what if you have a student who expresses the belief that the holocaust didn't happen?

I have been in this exact situation. Holocaust denial is considered a red flag for possible extremism so we had to make a Prevent referral.

Where a student expresses beliefs that are so extreme they raise a safeguarding concern then all staff in schools should know exactly what to do as there is a clear protocol to follow. When the views expressed are bizarre but not anything that could he interpreted as hate speech, or evidence that they/others may be at risk, then it's more up to the discretion of the individual teacher.